Why workplace wellness matters (and why everyone benefits)

No longer relegated to the ‘soft’ side of management, workplace wellbeing has taken a determined step into the scope of many successful leaders. 

But does it actually make a difference to an organisation? 

Without a doubt.

When your staff are well - physically, personally, professionally and financially - they perform better. They stick around longer, they give more and they show up with an enthusiasm usually reserved for kids at the donut shop. 

Of course, when they thrive, so do your profits. 

Which is why we’re going to take you through the benefits of employee wellbeing, what a good program looks like and why it’s the health tonic organisations are reaching for today. 

What is employee wellbeing?

When we talk about employee wellbeing, we mean staff happiness and satisfaction. A person’s physical, mental and emotional health is with them every working day, so it’s in everyone’s best interests to ensure the proverbial cup is full (green juice optional). 

As a manager, that includes supporting staff with:

• Work-life balance
• Stress levels at work
• Dealing with physical and mental health problems in the workplace
• Financial wellbeing

Remember: it’s up to you to ‘walk the walk’ and genuinely welcome wellbeing into the workforce. Leave early for your daughter’s soccer game, come in late after taking your mum to an appointment or take a day to spend with a friend. 

Only when leaders foster a culture that cares will your employees follow suit. Once you put a wellness program in place, you’ll see feelgood effects flowing faster than superman on a sugar high.

What is an employee wellbeing program?

Ever spent a morning getting a work-prescribed health check? Or taken part in a corporate fitness challenge? Though they may not have equalised your work-life balance, health and fitness are actually a crucial part of a wellbeing program.

And maybe that’s all your workplace had on offer… 

Today, though, these programs go further. 

They look at every employee holistically to help them manage their wellbeing in terms of:

• Physical
• Social
• Cognitive 
• Emotional 
  

These programs take a preventative, proactive approach to health issues. Meaning many of those challenges bubbling beneath the surface never have the chance to truly take hold and affect someone’s wellbeing and performance at work. 

Like we said earlier, though, employee wellbeing goes beyond great policy and practice. Actual workplace wellbeing is truly integrated into an organisation’s culture. It’s modelled by management, considered the ‘norm’ and taken seriously. 

It’s not just ‘woke’ to be into wellbeing - it’s healthy for your bottom line, too!

EAP vs wellness programs

Similar, yes, but not quite the same. 

An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a work-based intervention program. Staff can access EAPs for support in resolving personal problems as they arise (e.g. marital, family or financial issues) that might be affecting performance. 

Workplace wellness programs, on the other hand, are more about tackling the underlying causes of health challenges before they create problems. 

When you weave wellbeing into your organisation’s fabric, you get the best from your staff. And, once you establish a reputation as an employer who takes holistic health seriously, you set yourself apart from your competitors. 

An effective wellness program will:

• Be designed with your employees in mind
• Have clear goals and objectives around improving staff health
• Offer incentives and rewards for taking part (e.g. prizes for quitting smoking or attending a relevant seminar)
• Be well communicated across the organisation.
  

Get that right and you’ll see the benefits start sprouting in every branch of your business. 

Talking benefits

Ok, lets get to the point: It’s not just your staff who reap the rewards.

Here are the top 3 reasons to crank up wellbeing in the workplace.

1. Happier employees

Nothing makes your employees feel recognised, valued and engaged like (real) workplace wellness. 

And people take it seriously: 40% of those surveyed in our 2022 Candidate Motivators report told us it’s a factor when considering an employer. 

It’s understandable. When staff feel supported, they:

• Develop confidence
• Increase productivity
• Improve engagement
• Become more innovative.

Their overall health jumps up - and so does your organisation's. 

2. Healthier organisations

Let’s talk costs. More specifically, where you’ll see them plummet once you introduce a culture of workplace wellness. 

Taking care of employee wellbeing takes care of costs, reducing spend on:

• Sick leave
• Compensation
• Overheads
  

Of course, it’s not all about expenses. When you’ve got happy, engaged staff, they work better, they’re in the right headspace and overall morale improves. You’ll start attracting top talent, too, further reducing HR costs - and bulking up your teams with high performers. 

3. Supported communities 

By giving employees the tools to improve their mental, physical and emotional wellbeing, you’re helping those healthy habits spread far wider than the workplace. Communities will get the best version of their friends and families, creating positive mindsets that stretch well beyond the office. 

Workplace wellness isn’t a fad

The days of paying lip service to workplace wellbeing are over. Workplace wellness programs are here to stay - and that’s incredibly positive for all organisations. 

Companies who embrace a culture of wellness, remove stigma around it and offer a supportive environment are positioning themselves for success.

Want to read more on promoting and modelling wellbeing and other candidate drivers? Download our 2022 Candidate Motivators Report!